There are a number of different places to buy edible nuts, including grocery stores, supermarkets, organic food stores, and specialty food stores. These stores are in the position of being able to purchase edible nuts at wholesale prices, which are appreciably lower than the prices for consumers because they are bought in bulk.
Stores use processing companies and distributors for the various items that they sell. When they need gourmet walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, or macadamia nuts, there is a raw nut processing company and a wholesale distributor ready to supply them with inventory at a good price.
Because wholesale prices are lower than consumer prices, the way it remains profitable for the distributor is to require purchase in bulk, which means there is a minimum number of units necessary in order to qualify for wholesale pricing. These processors and distributors have expensive equipment and machines. They package raw nuts separately, like roasted pecans in one container (great for butter pecan ice cream) and pistachios in the other (great as an ice cream topping)–– but they sometimes offer mixed nuts as an option.
Other options could include chocolate-covered mixed nuts, or even dried fruit. Since some nuts have shells that must be cracked, there are shelled offerings. As long as their machines and equipment are prepared to handle, processing companies will try to offer a variety to maximize the number of places that buy from them.
There are some distributors who offer their selection directly to consumers, as long as the consumers are willing to buy a minimum number to qualify for wholesale pricing. A consumer who doesn't need a large supply can still go to a typical brick-and-mortar store for the occasional sampling of edible nuts.

If you work for a company that uses a lot of edible nuts, then you more than likely want to develop a relationship with a wholesale nut company. These wholesale companies sell bulk quantities of fruit and nut products for discounted prices. Some wholesalers only sell their inventory online. The more experienced the business, the more likely they are to have a wider selection and variety of nuts. Some dealers may specialize in only selling nut mixes and fruits, while other may sell only one kind of nut. You should ask multiple companies if they have catalogs or websites where you can view their edible nut selection. Some wholesale nut dealers may sell mixes of roasted or raw nuts. When choosing a nut wholesale dealer, you may want to inquire about the nutrition and health facts of a certain kind of nut. Look for nut dealers and wholesalers for all your raw, roasted and gourmet nut needs. These companies sometimes also specialize in gift baskets that feature their specialty items and products. This allows for the customer to try and sample a range of items from their company.